23 October 2025 – written by Sarah Wesonga, Regional Coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa

On 25 September 2025, civil society representatives from across Sub-Saharan Africa convened virtually for the 17th Regional Meeting under the UNCAC Coalition. The meeting evaluated anti-corruption frameworks, identified implementation gaps, and aligned regional priorities ahead of the 11th Conference of the States Parties (CoSP11). 

Shrinking civic space emerged as the central threat undermining UNCAC obligations, silencing journalists and whistleblowers, weakening oversight, and excluding marginalised groups, including women, youth, and minorities. Corruption diverts public resources from health, education, and social protection. The meeting’s purpose was to translate African perspectives into actionable recommendations to ensure CoSP11 commitments are enforceable and measurable.

Shrinking Civic Space as a Cross-Cutting Corruption Risk

The meeting began with a review of risks caused by limited civic space: 

• Across the region, restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and assembly are increasing. 
• Oversight institutions face political interference and operational constraints.
• Whistleblowers and journalists encounter harassment, job loss, and physical threats. 
• Civil society engagement in anti-corruption monitoring remains inconsistent and often symbolic. 
• Lack of secure reporting channels reduces corruption detection and allows misappropriation of public resources to continue.

Participants highlighted that civic space underpins every UNCAC obligation. Detection, prevention, and sanctioning of corruption require transparent institutions, accessible information, and protection for those who expose wrongdoing. Legal protections alone are insufficient when enforcement is weak, leaving whistleblowers, journalists, and CSOs exposed to retaliation and professional harm.

Regional Priorities for CoSP11

As part of the consultation process on the regional written submission to the CoSP, five priority areas for Sub-Saharan Africa were identified:

• Whistleblower Protection

Whistleblowers are crucial to detecting corruption. Regional frameworks, including the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) and CoSP Resolution 10/8, mandate protection for those reporting misconduct. Members noted that enforcement is uneven. The meeting called for robust legislation with clear safeguards against retaliation, funding for enforcement mechanisms, and secure reporting channels. Civil society fills gaps through shadow reporting, strategic litigation, and media partnerships, but the burden remains high. The discussion stressed that protection must extend beyond legal texts to practical, enforceable measures.

• Political Finance Transparency

Since 2024, elections across Sub-Saharan Africa have revealed vulnerabilities in political financing. Illicit funding, hidden donations, and opaque party finances compromise electoral integrity. Regulatory frameworks remain fragmented, and enforcement is weak. Civil society has documented these gaps and advocated for comprehensive disclosure mechanisms, independent monitoring, and sanctions for violations. Regional standards, including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) and the ACHPR Guidelines on Access to Information and Elections, provide benchmarks, but adoption and compliance remain inconsistent. Participants emphasised that clear reporting requirements, independent monitoring, and public accountability mechanisms are essential to protect electoral integrity.

• Public Procurement Transparency

Procurement continues to present the largest risk area for corruption in the region. Digital platforms for open contracting exist but are underused. Oversight is limited by low institutional capacity and political interference. Participants recommended adopting e-procurement systems, citizen monitoring initiatives, and access to beneficial ownership data. Coordination between civil society, auditors, and anti-corruption agencies is necessary to operationalise transparency frameworks. The discussion noted that public procurement is where corruption directly affects citizens’ access to services and that transparency tools must be functional and enforced.

• Gender and Anti-Corruption

Women face specific vulnerabilities in corruption contexts, including sexual extortion, exclusion from decision-making, and targeted violence. UNCAC Resolution 10/10 and the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (AU CEVAWG) provide frameworks, but national implementation is uneven. Participants called for integrating gender considerations into anti-corruption policies, collecting disaggregated data, and implementing measures to address sexual corruption. Civil society initiatives were highlighted as practical examples of translating commitments into safeguards and reporting mechanisms for women and girls.

• Strengthening the UNCAC Implementation Review Mechanism (IRM)

UNCAC implementation reviews remain delayed, non-transparent, and often exclude civil society. Participants recommended publishing full reports, conducting systematic consultations, and integrating civil society input into follow-up measures. Transparency and accessibility are critical to reinforce accountability and public trust in anti-corruption efforts. Speakers emphasised that the UNCAC IRM must not only exist on paper but be operational, inclusive, and effective.

Panel: Mainstreaming ATI and Regional Priorities

A central feature of the meeting was a panel discussion on integrating Access to Information principles and regional priorities in preparation for CoSP11. Panellists included Sarah Wesonga, Regional Coordinator for Sub-Saharan Africa; Danella Newman, Civil Society Engagement Lead and Project Manager; and Parnneh Mallobe, Communications Officer at Accountability Lab Liberia.

Sarah Wesonga opened the session with an overview of regional priorities and key recommendations, outlining how Sub-Saharan African CSOs can exert influence ahead of CoSP11. She framed the discussion around practical strategies for engagement, emphasising the need for systematic stakeholder involvement and information-sharing to influence national and international processes.

Danella Newman presented the UNCAC Coalition’s ATI Campaign and lessons from the ongoing IRM Campaign. The ATI campaign mobilises civil society to submit Freedom of Information requests to access UNCAC review documents. These documents are essential for assessing government anti-corruption efforts and informing advocacy. Newman detailed tools developed to guide CSOs, including FOI templates, simplified engagement frameworks, and guidance on communicating with government counterparts. Similarly, the IRM Campaign has CSOs globally reaching out to their governments urging them to push for more transparency in accessing relevant information, and more inclusive, efficient and effective reviews in the negotiations on the next phase of the IRM resolution ahead of CoSP11. An Open Letter signed by more than 400 NGOs, academics and individuals outlines the key recommendations the Coalition network is asking for.

The campaigns have created a collaborative CSO network across the region, strengthening collective advocacy and increasing civil society visibility in UNCAC processes. Newman highlighted lessons from the campaigns: coordinated advocacy, constructive partnerships, evidence-based reporting, and proactive information sharing and follow-up are essential to achieve tangible results.

Parnneh Mallobe discussed Accountability Lab Liberia’s community engagement strategies. The organisation uses music, art, graffiti, and other creative media to raise awareness about governance and accountability, particularly among young people. Mallobe emphasised that grassroots engagement builds local ownership of anti-corruption initiatives and complements national and international advocacy efforts. She highlighted that creative community strategies allow civil society to reach wider audiences while mitigating personal risk.

The panel concluded that high-impact interventions for CoSP11 include systematic engagement of local stakeholders in policy reviews and transparent dissemination of information to constituencies unable to attend international forums. Collaborative investigative projects and digital reporting platforms were cited as examples of effective strategies that amplify civil society influence while protecting participants.

Recommendations for CoSP11

The meeting concluded with executive recommendations to State parties, guiding Sub-Saharan African engagement at CoSP11:

1. Guarantee Civic Freedoms: Reform and enforce UNCAC Articles 5, 6, and 13; CoSP 10/3; ACHPR; AUCPCC. Freedom of expression, association, and assembly is necessary to detect and prevent corruption.
2. Protect Anti-Corruption Actors: Establish independent mechanisms to prevent, investigate, and remedy reprisals against whistleblowers, journalists, and civil society actors.
3. Institutionalise Participation: Embed civil society in UNCAC reviews through systematic consultation, data-sharing, and shadow reporting. Engagement must be transparent, actionable, and accountable.
4. Strengthen Political Finance and Procurement Transparency: Enforce disclosure requirements, monitoring, and sanctions. Adopt digital platforms, open contracting, and citizen monitoring to protect public resources.
5. Integrate Gender Considerations: Align policies with UNCAC Resolution 10/10, AU CEVAWG, and the Maputo Protocol. Address sexual corruption and ensure inclusion in anti-corruption frameworks.
6. Enhance IRM Transparency and Follow-Up: Publish full review reports, include civil society in follow-up processes, and establish mechanisms to monitor implementation of recommendations.